The OT Toolbox

Sensory Processing Spanish Resource

2019-07-04T09:26:00.002-04:00

Here on The OT Toolbox, we've had a Sensory Processing Disorder information packet available for a long time. The booklet is a free handout that offers an understanding on sensory processing concerns. It's a handout that can be used to advocate for sensory needs and is one of our top sensory processing resources here on the site. I'm excited to say that this booklet has been translated into Spanish! Below, you will find a Spanish resource on Sensory Processing that can be used by therapists working with Spanish-speaking clients and families.

Celebrate "Sensory"

2019-07-01T08:25:00.001-04:00

If there's one thing that is certain, it's that we are ALL "sensory"! So often, therapists or teachers hear the term "sensory" in the classrooms and clinics. The term sensory can sometimes be used as a noun to describe a child or behaviors that are a result of sensory processing needs. Today, I wanted to offer a handful of sensory memes that can help us to better understand that we are all sensory creatures. It's the way we are wired as humans!

While there definitely are behaviors and actions that are connected or as a result of unmet sensory needs or in direct relation to an unregulated sensory system, sometimes the word "sensory" is just that. A word. So, let's celebrate the sensory beings that we all are with a few sensory memes!

Therapy Planner for the Upcoming School Year

2019-06-29T13:41:00.001-04:00

Below, you will find a free printable calendar that is an awesome resource to add to your therapy planner. Use the planning calendar to dream up and create an action plan for occupational therapy themes during the upcoming school year. This therapy planner is perfect for school-based OTs, but it can certainly be used in clinics or in homes, too!

Free Therapy Planner

During the summer months, many therapists start thinking ahead to planning therapy activities for the next school year. I know, I know. Summer just started. Some of us still have a car trunk full of hanging files, worksheets, a therapy ball, and pencil cases full of pencil grips. Is it really time to start thinking about planning for back to school?

We are right on the brink of a new school year and you'll soon be gearing up for another year in the clinic or classroom!

Therapy Planning Calendar

For the new school year, I have included a fun bonus to this post that you will find below. It is an editable Theme Therapy Calendar for the upcoming school year.  Sometimes weekly themes can help you stay motivated AND make your life easier as a therapist while helping to keep children engaged in therapy activities from week to week.

Enter your email address below to get the free printable therapy planning calendar. Use it as a guide to schedule and plan themed occupational therapy activities throughout the school year. You'll also get a blank therapy planning calendar so you can fill in special themes that may go along with your school's calendar or planned activities.
Have fun planning out activities for this year's therapy sessions!

Hand Dominance Activities 3 Simple Tips

2019-06-24T05:00:00.000-04:00

Kids develop hand skills through play as they discover what they can do with their hands in their environment. Hand dominance occurs naturally through this discovery and play. You may have heard the terms Cross-dominance or hand confusion in a therapy report. This mixed dominance may present in a child's motor actions when they favors one hand for some tasks and the other hand for others. Hand dominance and establishment of a preferred hand in activities refines motor skills and allows for more skilled movements.

But what happens when those two-handed activities do not transition to preferred use of one hand over the other? At a certain point, kids begin to show hand dominance in functional tasks as their motor skills develop. A child begins to show laterality of their hands in functional tasks as one side of their brain gains dominance and allows the child to prefer use of one hand over the other. Other kids show a mixed dominance and use both of their hands in activities. Wondering where to begin or how to know what is typical in development? Read on!

Zones of Regulation Activities

2019-06-17T13:14:00.001-04:00

The Zones of Regulation program is a self-regulation tool to help kids identify, address, and use strategies to achieve self-control and emotional regulation in a non-judgmental and safe way. Using interactive zones of regulation activities can be helpful for kids who struggle with self-regulation. Here, you will find zones of regulation strategies and tips to work on self-regulation of emotions through fun and interactive activities. These are DIY Zones activities that you can make as part of your occupational therapy treatment and can be used over and over again!

Zones of Regulation Activities

Activities to support emotional regulation and coping skills can come in many forms. There are zones of regulation posters, worksheets, self-regulation checks, zones of regulation games, and even cootie catchers. All of these regulation tools are strategies to help kids become more aware of their self in order to function. Let's break it down further...

What is self-regulation?

Well, let’s break it down. Self means you or me. Regulation means the process of being in control or to have management. So, add these two terms together and you get, self-regulation which means you or me being in control and having management of ourselves.

Self-regulation is a skill that many children have a difficult time learning and achieving without help. In a given day, a child (and an adult) encounters multiple situations and circumstances that require an awareness of self and others as well as the ability to have or gain self-control.

Generally speaking, a child should achieve an optimal level of self-awareness and mindfulness to identify their inner feelings and emotions and be ready to regulate themselves when the time comes. They need to learn strategies and techniques that work for them to assist them in leaving a less optimal level in order to get back to a “ready-to-go” level of regulation.

Self-regulation Curriculums

There are many curriculums, programs and interventions that can assist a child (and adult) to learn the skills necessary to achieve emotional regulation fit for every situation, circumstance, and environment.

Amazon affiliate links are included below.

Many programs, curriculums or interventions are created by occupational therapy professionals e.g., Zones of Regulation, The Alert Program, Test Drive, The Sensory Connection, and a new program called, The Regulation Rocket.

Recently, at our clinic, we have begun to focus on and use the Zones of Regulation program as this program is what most of our children use in their schools and homes. This program helps kiddos to identify, address and use strategies to achieve good self-control and emotional regulation in a non-judgmental and safe way. Using the zones helps to take the focus off of the child as being “good” or “bad” and places the focus on obtaining control to get back to the “green zone.”

So, what is the Zones of Regulation do you ask?

Well, in brief summation, it is a curriculum or framework created by an occupational therapist, Leah Kuypers, which is designed to help a child navigate their sometimes confusing emotions. The curriculum helps a child to achieve self-regulation and emotional control by gaining skills in self-control and problem-solving based on targeted zones that are identified with colors.

These zones help a child recognize, categorize, and communicate their feelings or emotions based on a specific zone. This makes the program an effective and fluid tool for a child to understand, learn, and achieve without feeling judged or different.

Let’s quickly review the zones so you can have a better understanding of the reason behind my fun tool creations. I designed these tools for individual children to help them better understand and navigate their emotions while identifying strategies that help them shift from a less desirable zone to a more calm and focused zone, which is better for participating and learning at school, home, church, and in therapy.

What do the Colors in the Zones of Regulation Program Mean?

The Red Zone is an extremely heightened state of alertness with intense emotions and is typically viewed as the child being “out-of-control.” Examples include: elation, rage, anger, devastation, etc.

The Yellow Zone is entering a heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions typically viewed as heading toward the red zone, but the child still has some control. Examples include: nervousness, wiggly/silly, frustration, excitement, etc.

The Green Zone is the optimal level of alertness and is typically viewed as the child being “good to go” and ready for leaning and social interactions. Examples include: positive, calm, happy, focused, content, etc.

The Blue Zone is a low level of alertness typically viewed as the child running slow. Examples include: sick, bored, tired, sad, etc.

Fun Zones of Regulation Activities

What is the best part about the fun tools I created? YOU can create them and use them with most any regulation program based on the programs framework.

How can you use zones of regulation activities to improve self-regulation?

Look at the fun tools I created and take the general structure and design to build essential tools to go with whatever program you may be utilizing in therapy, the classroom, or at home.

1. Zones Pocket Play for Emotions and Coping Strategies

In this zones activity, kids can make the tools they need to work on self-regulation. Have kiddos fold file folders to create a pocket on the bottom. Trim off the edges. Use hot glue to turn the large pocket into four sections (red, yellow, green, and blue). Color and label the sections based on zones. Have kiddos label craft sticks with either emotions or coping strategies and insert into the correct pockets.

This Zones Pocket Play for Emotions and Coping Strategies Folders can be used in the home or classroom.

2. Zone Check-In Tube

Have kiddos paint or wrap colored tape around paper towel tubes according to the zone colors. If painting, wait to dry. Follow up with kiddos writing emotion words or even drawing emotion facial expressions onto the matching tube color. Place a hair band onto the tube to roll up and down as needed to perform check-ins with children throughout the day.

3. Zone Check-In Frame

Hot glue colored craft sticks according to zone colors (red, yellow, green and blue) to create a square frame and then have child write the zone title on one side and zone emotion words on the other side OR have child write zone emotion words on one side and coping strategies on the other side. Place a clothespin onto the frame to clip as needed to perform check-ins with children throughout the day. This tool can also be used to teach and review while learning the program zones as well.

4. Zone Grab Bag Game

Have kiddos create an emotion identification grab bag game. This can be done in differentiated ways:

• Draw emotional expressions as faces on matching color dot stickers and place on bottle caps (for younger children).
• Simply draw emotional facial expressions on bottle caps directly with a black marker (for older children).
• Draw emotional facial expressions on plastic spoons with matching colored markers (for younger children).
• Draw emotional facial expressions on plastic spoons with a black marker (for older children).

Once these are created, toss only the caps or only the spoons into a grab bag or simply toss them all into one bag.

When children grab a cap or spoon from the bag, they decide which colored mat they belong on to identify the correct emotion and zone.

Zones of Regulation Activities at home and at school

Now that you know the simple materials you need, go ahead and make these fun and easy tools to help your kiddos learn emotional regulation and self-control to help them succeed in their daily lives so they can feel good and remain cool. Kiddos will enjoy the interactive components and you’ll see learning and regulation evolve! They can be used at home or in the school environment. Some of these can even go on-the-go when out and about in the community!

This post was written by The OT Toolbox contributor, Regina Allen. Read about Regina in her Contributor Author Spotlight.

Super Simple Visual Tracking Tool

2019-06-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

Visual tracking is a skill kids need for reading, handwriting, and learning! Visual tracking activities can help kids strengthen this visual processing skill and in easy and fun ways. We made a Visual Tracking Tool that is an easy DIY occupational therapy activity. It is super easy to make and fun to play with, making it a great way to work on visual tracking skills. We shared an easy way to practice visual tracking with bottle caps not too long ago, and this visual tracking tool will be another creative way for you to work on visual tracking abilities in handwriting, reading, and math number line use.

Sensory Meltdown or Tantrum: Which one is it?

2019-06-11T07:42:00.002-04:00

When working with sensory kids and their families, one of the number one questions that is asked is—is this a sensory meltdown or a tantrum? It’s often hard to tell the difference between the two, and takes some detective work to figure out which one it is. Determining if a sensory meltdown is occurring is especially difficult because sensory thresholds for these children can vary day to day. So often we hear, "Is it sensory or a behavior" that is causing an action in a child. Here are the clues to help you discern the difference.

For more information on sensory processing, you'll want to grab our free sensory processing disorder information packet. This is a handy printable designed to better understand SPD and what that looks like in our kids.

Behaviors of Sensory Meltdowns and Tantrums Look Similar

The challenge in determining whether behaviors are the result of a sensory meltdown or a tantrum, is that the child’s behaviors in both instances, are usually the same.

Behaviors that are observed during both a sensory meltdown and a tantrum may include:
• Screaming
• Hitting
• Kicking
• Name calling
• Hiding or avoidance
• Crying

The difference between a meltdown and tantrum however, can be often times, be found in the events prior to the behaviors.

For information on sensory play ideas, you'll find a lot here on The OT Toolbox.

Tantrums

Tantrums are usually in response to the child not receiving a want/desire out of a situation, or not achieving a goal as they had planned. In these instances behaviors typically occur for an audience, and may cease when the child has achieved their goal. This may be a way of testing boundaries with the authority figure in the situation.

Tantrums can usually be resolved with consequences, reminders of the boundaries, removal from the situation, or distraction to the upset child. Children are also not typically emotionally drained after a tantrum and can resume their routine with ease. This is not necessarily the case when a sensory meltdown occurs.

Sensory Meltdowns

Sensory Meltdowns are the result of sensory overload, and reaction to the big feelings that overloads cause.

When in the throes of the sensory meltdown, the child is not able to control their reactions, behaviors, or emotions. These episodes may also leave the child inconsolable, even when distraction or preferred items are offered, or even when the parent ‘gives’ into what the child is demanding.

Meltdowns may appear happen without a trigger, or may be in response to an event that seems otherwise innocuous to the parent.

The main clue that the behaviors the child is exhibiting is sensory meltdown related is that the behavior does not achieve a want, need or goal.

In the case of a sensory meltdown, having a set of strategies available through use of a sensory diet can help with sensory overload, big feelings, and reactions.

Clues a Behavior is a Sensory Meltdown

• Reaction to event, feeling or overload of sensory input
• Is not to achieve a want, need, or goal
• Continues even without an audience
• Ends only when the child has calmed down and the feelings are out
• The child is very tired after the meltdown or appears ‘spent’
• The child may feel embarrassment or shame as a result of their actions—typically this is seen in older children.

These signs can show up at home, in the community, or in the classroom. Here are strategies for using a sensory diet in the classroom.

What can Trigger a Sensory Meltdown?

Sometimes, we can see a meltdown coming, and other times it seems to hit out of the blue. This is particularly true of children who are a little bit older, and understand what is acceptable and what is not. Because of this, parent’s often report that their children do GREAT at school, and then lose it at home.

Some clues that it might be a meltdown include:

• Being over tired or hungry
• Illness or general unwellness—allergies can be a trigger to this sense of general unwellness. This may include food allergies or sensitivities.
• “Holding it together” for long periods of time—going to school, camp, play dates, etc.
• Change in routines—extra day off of school, vacation, or parent traveling. Essentially, anything outside of the child’s daily routine being off may result in a sensory overload and meltdown.

It may take several hours, or several days before a meltdown occurs as a result of these triggers. As a result, it can appear as though there is no cause for the meltdown until the events prior to the event are examined. If you go back far enough into the past few days, a trigger is usually able to be found.

Whether it’s a tantrum, or a meltdown, behavior is a direct form of communication from kids to adults about what is going on in their life. Knowing the difference between the two can lead to recognition of triggers and patterns, implementation of prevention strategies and successful emotional recovery in both situations.

Tools for Sensory Meltdowns

The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook is a guidebook in strategies to help with sensory meltdowns. Taking the specific and individualized activities that make up a Sensory Diet and transitioning them into a lifestyle of sensory modifications, strategies, and techniques is a Sensory Lifestyle!

This book is for therapists, parents, teachers, or anyone who works with kids with sensory needs.

If you struggle with creating a sensory diet that WORKS...
If you are tired of trying sensory tools that just don't seem to fit within a child's busy day...
If you are overwhelmed and don't know where to start with understanding sensory processing...
If you are a therapist struggling to set up sensory programs that are carried out and followed through at home and in the classroom...
If you are a teacher looking for help with regulation, attention, or sensory meltdowns and need ideas that mesh within the classroom schedule...
If you are looking for sensory techniques that kids WANT to use...
If you are striving to create a sensory lifestyle that meets the needs of a child and family...

The Sensory Lifestyle Handbook is for you!

Unsubscribe

2019-06-01T07:32:00.000-04:00

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I strive to make The OT Toolbox the resource YOU need. Are you looking for specific tools or information? Let me know at contact@theottoolbox.com

Have a good one!

Potty Training Incentive (That Kids will LOVE)

2019-05-28T21:18:00.001-04:00

Potty training can be a jungle. Knowing what to expect when starting potty training can be challenging for parents. Even seasoned parents can struggle when it comes to potty training and there's a good reason why; Every child is different! And here's the thing: Because every child is so different when it comes to interests, strengths, difficulties, and needs, potty training incentives can be a challenge too. Potty training rewards can be helpful when the child's motivations are included in toilet training. Maybe you've tried potty training charts before. Perhaps you are struggling to teach the basics of potty training, or are working on a child staying dry overnight. Today, I've got a motivating potty training incentive that can be just the tool to address a variety of toileting challenges.

Potty Training Incentive

First, let's talk about what a potty training incentive is and looks like. You've probably seen a potty training reward chart before. A potty training sticker chart can be just the visual that helps kids progress from making it to the potty in time to remembering to stop and go to the bathroom when playing (and before it's too late). Other kids use reward charts for washing hands after using the restroom or wiping completely. A visual reward chart like a sticker chart can address a wide variety of potty training issues.

Reward programs can be used in the home or while on-the-go while out and about in the community. A potty training visual chart can be used to work on many goal areas.

Many potty training incentives offer a reward for that persistence and patience needed in potty training. Sticker charts can be just the tool to help kids feel special and confident during the potty training process. After the kiddo achieves a goal like sitting on the toilet or making it to the potty in time, they can add a sticker to the chart. After a determined number of stickers have been added to the chart, a reward is earned.

Toileting Reward Program That Kids will Love

I recently came across a potty training incentive program that I fell in love with. The Kudo Banz system works a lot like a sticker chart reward. However, the difference is that kids can wear a bracelet to help remind kids of their goals. They can earn Kudos for various aspects of potty training, keeping them motivated to turn positive behaviors and actions into habits.

Potty Training Book with a Twist

Affiliate links are included in this post.

Part of the Potty Starter Pack by Kudo Banz, is a colorful and fun storybook called "The Adventures of Drago and George and the Potty Party". This book gets kids and parents excited about beginning potty training by describing an adventure and a fun "potty party". In the book, the characters discover how to earn kudos by completing individualized challenges.

As we all know, kids are so different. What works for one child may not work for another. That's why the Kudos that can be modified based on your child's needs, strengths, and interests are really successful.

For special potty training seats based on needs of the child, check out our recent post on Potty Training Seats for Special Needs.

Using a bracelet and themed charms, kids can add a "kudo", or charm clip, after achieving goals. They can work through the various aspects of potty training, taking kids from walking into the bathroom and sitting on the potty, all the way to staying dry overnight.

Kids can use the bands and the clips to mark progress for toileting aspects such as:

Sitting on the potty
Going pee in the potty
Going poop in the potty
Learning to wipe all by themselves
Remembering to wash hands after going potty
Staying dry for specific amounts of time, such as from breakfast to snack time, etc.
Staying dry at nap-time
Staying dry overnight

Focusing on the Positive When Potty Training

Because toilet training requires so much patience, it's important to stay positive. As parents, this can be HARD! An accident on the floor again? Wet pants for the third time today? It can be frustrating to work through potty training challenges when you've practiced and practiced the aspects of toileting.

That's why using positive reinforcement such as the reward charms that Kudo Banz offer is so important. It helps kids stay motivated because they feel excited to have that kudo on their bracelet, and with them at all times. It's a great way to stay encouraged to try again because they can see, touch, and feel the evidence that they did something positive.

Having that bracelet right on their arm makes staying focused on incentives rewarding because kudos happen right in the moment and even when out and about. Kids can add a kudo to their bracelet when using a public restroom and see the evidence of a bathroom win...and boost their self-confidence in potty training.

Interactive Potty Training Reward

The thing about Kudo Banz that kids will absolutely love, besides the themed Kudo charms that they can pick, is the reward. Using an app, kids can use their reward Kudo in an interactive way to keep kids interested in their goals and motivated to earn more.

Take it a step further:

Kudo Banz is nice because kids can benefit from the motivating and interactive factor, and even take habits a step further and be used to work on a variety of goals. Things such as picky eating, doing chores, following directions, doing homework...and many more areas that can be difficult to instill in kids can be addressed with this motivating reward tool.

Add Kudo Banz to your therapy toolbox! Grab a set here.

Potty Training Seats for Special Needs

2019-05-22T15:22:00.002-04:00

When it comes to potty training and toileting in general, there is a LOT of information out there. And, if you ask around for suggestions for the best potty training seats, you will probably get a variety of answers. It can be overwhelming to weed through all of the potty seats out there on the market and in the local box store toddler aisle. The difficulty compounds when you consider potty training with special needs children. Today, I wanted to pull together a list of potty training seats out there on the market that are perfect for special needs kids, as well as typically developing kids. These potty training chairs help address the underlying needs that kids might struggle with when it comes to potty training. These potty training seats and supports can be the tools needed to address a variety of underlying needs when it comes to getting started with potty training.

Here's the thing: it can be difficult to make suggestions or come up with a comprehensive list that covers ALL of the special needs out there. (That's where your occupational therapy evaluation or equiptment analysis will come into play!) BUT, I can definitely address some of the more common potty training seats out on the market and address the underlying areas that they can address and hopefully target a best fit.

Potty Training Seats are Not One-Size Fits All!

Let's face it. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to potty training. Because of the vast differences in in kids development, interests, motivation, physical or special needs, potty training can be a challenge to know where to start. This list is hopefully a start for addressing some of the areas kids need for successful potty training.

Portable Seat- This type of seat is great for kids who need a smaller opening on the toilet. Kids of all needs benefit from a larger seat area when first potty training. This one is nice because it can be carried from place to place when on the go outside of the home. Just fold it up and place in it's carrying bag. Using a portable seat can make it easy to add interests when beginning potty training. Add interests such as special toys and items to make sitting motivating.

Squatty Potty- The squatty potty is a helpful way to provide a more stable base of support while sitting on the toilet seat. Kids can place their feet on the support that curves around the toilet base and improve balance while sitting. This base of support can help kids who need extra support or have balance needs. The Step and Go stool is another, more inexpensive option. Adding a supportive base can help calm nerves of unsupported sitting. Children can use a wider base of support with this type of stool.

Potty Training Chart- While this isn't a potty training seat, a training chart can be used to promote extended sitting on a potty chair, and to allow kids the ability to build up patience to sit and wait on a potty chair. Starting out by using a potty training chart to encourage kids just to go to and sit on the potty seat is a great start for younger kids or those who need to accommodate for sensory needs. A visual tool such as a potty training chart can be a practical way to reinforce individual skills that make up the process of toilet training. The nice thing about toilet training charts is that they can be individualized, based on the child's needs. Some kids with special needs or sensory needs may be afraid of walking into the bathroom. A sticker chart can be one strategy to address that aspect given various modifications or activities that can help address needs.

Step Stool with Handles- Having a handle can help little ones who struggle with balance or feeling unstable when sitting on a regular sized toilet seat. This one has a step stool that provides a base of support through the feet.

Toilet Seat with Pee Guard- This seat insert has handles and slight curvature to the sides of the toilet seat ring, providing support and a sense of stability when seated on a regular size toilet. The urine guard is helpful for both boys and girls.

Three-in-one Potty Training Seat- As a mom of four, this 3-in-one potty training seat is a favorite. It goes with kids from the toddler stage when a smaller, floor potty chair is helpful in training. The ring insert can then be used when transitioning to a regular sized toilet. Finally, the seat forms a step stool for using either on the toilet or when washing hands. This is a convenient toilet training seat for families! This potty training system is great for the child who appreciates consistency.

Ring Reducer- There are many styles of toilet seat ring reducers out there and they serve a great purpose; to reduce the size of the opening on the toilet seat, allowing for small kids to feel more safe and secure when sitting on the toilet. This is a good transition seat to a regular sized toilet. For kids who struggle with coordination and balance, this ring reducer can be just the ticket to potty training success.

Disposable Seat Covers- These seat covers are convenient for kids who tend to grab the toilet seat when sitting on a regular-sized toilet. When out and about in the community, it can be helpful for some kids to use a seat cover that is more effective than just using toilet paper. Some of our kiddos can't tolerate sitting without holding onto the seat or just can't follow the directions to "not hold onto the seat".

Physical Limitations and Special Needs Toilet Training

While these potty training seat options just cover the surface of potty training, it's important to remember to consider the underlying and developmental aspects of potty training. The therapist's perspective can play an important part in identifying any developmental or transitioning needs when it comes to potty training. While there are many more specific tools that can be used with special needs toilet training as well as typically developing kids, these are just some of the basics. Remember that there truly is not a one-size-fits-all aspect for toileting. Some of our kids with more physical special needs or developmental considerations may benefit from a more extensive and supportive seating system. That's where the occupational therapist comes into play with identifying needs and tools that will promote independence and function.

Potty Training Seats for Physical Needs

Toileting Seat System- There are many toileting systems on the market that address physical needs. Seating systems are intended to promote positioning, safety, mobility, transfers, function, and quality of life of the individual. Look for a system that meets the budget and can efficiently accommodate various needs such as toileting, showering/bathing, hygiene, etc.

Systems can come with a variety of ajustements and supports. Consider the need or use of the following supports:

Headrest

Backrest

Armrests

Lateral back supports

Harness

Seat belt

Tray

Anterior support

Hip guides

Abductor

Urine deflector or guard

Calf supports

Lower extremity lateral supports

Ankle straps

Footrest

Tilt in space (backward/forward)

Recline

Height adjustments

Push handles (for caregiver support)

Wheeled base

Molded and Foam cushions

Pan/adaptability for use over a toilet or as a stand-alone toilet chair

Support Station for Toileting- A standing support station can be used in assisted hygiene or assisted toileting. The standing station can be a support to transfers and can be beneficial t clothing management, self-care, skin care, and undergarment changing.

The support station is a helpful tool for improving function and dignity of clients as can perform aspects of toileting, as well as participate in self-care. This is a means for reducing diaper use as well, further improving dignity. Additionally, support stations are a tool for improved safety of caregivers. When clients stand at a standing support frame, they are truly building strength, endurance and self-care skills in a natural manner within the occupation of toileting.

For More information on Potty Training

Watch for information coming soon to this space on the upcoming Toilet Training Book! It's about to be released and is your go-to resource on potty training based on development and individualized needs. This book was created by occupational therapists and physical therapists who are experts in the field of child development, sensory processing, motor skills, and function.

Coming soon! The Toilet Training Book!

What is Visual Attention?

2019-05-17T10:28:00.002-04:00

Attention is a hot topic when it comes to learning! There's more than meets the eye when it comes to visual attention, however. Visual attention is an area of visual processing that is more than just focusing on a task or leaning activity. Visual attention is a visual skill necessary for noticing details, adjusting to patterns, reading, and so much more of the giant visual processing umbrella. Read on to discover what is visual attention and how this visual skill impacts so much of what we do.

Activities to improve smooth visual pursuits

2019-05-10T11:12:00.002-04:00

For our kids who are challenged to visually observe their environment, or who struggle to demonstrate visual tracking in reading or other learning experiences, activities designed to promote smooth pursuits and eye movement can be helpful. The visual activities listed here can be helpful in addressing the smooth pursuits of visual input. Visual pursuits or tacking is an oculomotor skill that is necessary part of visual processing. Read on for various eye exercise that can be done in fun ways as a part of occupational therapy geared toward visual processing skills.

Activities to improve smooth visual pursuits

First, let’s cover what visual pursuits are and how they impact a child’s learning.

What are visual pursuits?

Visual pursuits are another term for visual tracking. Visual tracking is an oculomotor skill that is essential for learning, reading, and so many tasks we perform. Here is more information about visual tracking. You will also love checking out these activities to improve visual tracking.

Visual processing skills have a huge impact on learning. In fact, it is one of the visual skills that can impact learning in a way that isn’t always directly observable.

Visual skills like visual tracking, or smooth visual pursuits are a visual processing skill that allow us to perceive and retrieve visual information. This is an essential part of reading and learning.

Want to learn more about HOW visual pursuits and other aspects of visual processing impact learning (in a really big way)? Scroll below to join our free visual processing lab. It's a 3 day email series where you will learn SO much about visual processing and how it impacts everything, but especially learning and cognitive skills.

Activities to improve visual pursuits

These visual tracking activities are easy and creative ways to work on eye movement and smooth eye movements. Kids can perform these activities as part of a therapy program and while working on functional skills within an occupation.

1. Relaxing breathing eye stretches- This visual tracking activity is a way to work on smooth pursuits in a very mindful way. Just like yoga brings awareness to the body and a sense of being present, this eye stretch activity is a great way to calm a class during a busy school day.

Combine slow and deep breathing with deliberate eye movements. Kids can watch and follow directions to take deep breaths combined with slowly looking in a single direction. As they look up and breath or look to the left and breath, kids can even use this activity as a coping strategy.

2. Flashlight Tag- Use a flashlight to help kids follow a target in various directions. Try a circle, uppercase letter “H”, triangle, straight/diagonal lines, etc. To make this activity more fun, try adding a deflated balloon to the top of the flashlight. Encourage kids to keep their face steady as they use just the eyes to follow the light.

3. Craft Stick Puppets-Create small craft stick characters puppets to make a visual cue as a visual prompt for follow movement patterns. These barnyard animal puppets make a great DIY puppet tool for a visual pursuit and tracking activity.

4. Marble run activities- There are many marble run products on the market that provide an opportunity for improving smooth pursuit of the eyes. Here are DIY marble run activities that make a great activity in themselves for kids. We love to add slow moving items to marble run games too, to provide a slower object for visually tracking, encouraging smooth pursuits of the eyes. Encourage kids to keep their face steady while using their eyes only to watch the item fall through the marble run.

5. Roll a ball up a slanted surface and ask the child to keep their eyes on the ball! Some ideas include creating a sloped surface with a poster board and books. Simply roll a small ball slowly up the ramp and kids can watch the ball as it rolls. Also try having the child to sit in front of the ramp and be in charge of rolling the ball. Mark off where the ball should reach and stop so the child works on graded movement at the same time. Sitting in front of the ramp encourages visual convergence and binocular fusion as well. This activity works well with a large ball such as a kick ball and a sidewalk ramp, too.

6. Double Light Eye Tag- Use two different colored lights (light-topped pens work well). Flash one color on and then the other. Kids can move their eyes from color to color or follow directions to look at the two lights when they change.

Hopefully, these activities to improve visual pursuits is a helpful addition to your therapy toolbox. Use these strategies to work on various visual processing skills and oculomotor skills.

More visual processing activities

For even MORE visual tracking and pursuit activities to use in your occupational therapy practice, you will want to join our free visual processing lab email series. It's a 3-day series of emails that covers EVERYthing about visual processing. We take a closer look at visual skills and break things down, as well as covering the big picture of visual needs.

In the visual processing lab, you will discover how oculomotor skills like smooth pursuits make a big difference in higher level skills like learning and executive function. The best thing about this lab (besides all of the awesome info) is that it has a fun "lab" theme. I might have had too much fun with this one :)

Join us in visual processing Lab! Where you won't need Bunsen burners or safety goggles!

Click here to learn more about Visual Processing Lab and to sign up.

More visual tracking activities you will like:

6 Ways to Improve Visual Tracking with Cardboard Tubes

Visual Tracking Tips and Tools

Visual Tracking Strategies

Super Simple Visual Tracking Tool

Free Visual Processing Lab

2019-05-05T23:29:00.001-04:00

Visual processing impacts everything we do! When kids struggle with things like writing on the lines, managing buttons, catching a ball, or finding a missing shoe in a messy room...visual processing skills are at play. The thing is, the components of visual processing are more than meets the eye (literally)! Visual processing involves several areas like oculomotor function, visual perception, and visual-motor skills. These underlying areas make all the difference in skills like handwriting, fine motor skills, learning, reading, functional tasks...everything!

What if I told you that there is a new resource available through The OT Toolbox. The Visual Processing Lab is here! It's a short email series that covers everything you need to know about visual processing. And you can join us!

What is Visual Scanning

2019-05-02T06:56:00.001-04:00

Visual Scanning is a component of visual processing that is crucial to everything we do! From taking in visual information, to using that information in making decisions and enabling actions...visual scanning is an oculomotor skill that is sometimes an area of difficulty for those struggling with visual processing skills. Below, you will find information about visual scanning, including what this oculomotor control component looks like, what visual scanning really means, and why scanning as a visual skill is needed for learning, functional tasks, social emotional skills, executive function and other cognitive abilities, and just about everything we do!

To work on visual scanning in the classroom or clinic, you may want to grab this free 17 page visual perception worksheet packet that promote oculomotor skills like visual scanning as well as visual perceptual skills!

Free Visual Perception Packet

2019-04-29T09:47:00.002-04:00

Visual perception is an area that drives so much of what we do. For kids who struggle with visual perceptual skills, so many areas are impacted. Visual perception impacts reading, writing, learning, comprehension, visual motor skills (including copying written materials), fine motor work, gross motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and even social emotional skills! It's amazing how this one area can impact so many areas of a life and functioning. Because some f our popular free visual perception worksheets have been used by so many therapists, I wanted to pull these resources together into an easy to access visual perception worksheet packet! This is it! Your 17 page packet of free visual perception worksheets can be accessed below.

Development of Eye-Hand Coordination

2019-04-23T11:35:00.004-04:00

Eye-hand coordination development typically occurs through movement, beginning at a very young age. The visual components of oculomotor skills (how the eyes move) include visual fixation, visual tracking (or smooth pursuits), and visual scanning. These beginning stages of child development play a big part down the road in taking in visual information and using it to perform motor tasks.

Ambidexterity or Mixed Dominance

2019-04-15T01:00:00.000-04:00

Wondering about a child who uses both hands to write or perform tasks? Maybe you know a child who uses both hands equally and with equal skill. Perhaps your child uses one hand for specific tasks and their other hand for other tasks. How do you know if your child is ambidextrous or if they are showing signs of mixed dominance? This post will explain a little more about ambidexterity as well as mixed dominance and what it means in motor skills.

For a few fun hand dominance activities, try these ideas to help kids establish a preferred hand.

Writing with Both Hands-What you Need to Know

2019-04-14T21:51:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wondered is my child a lefty or a righty? Or been asked if they are a lefty or righty and unable to answer? Have you noticed that your child seems to use both hands equally when writing? If so, your child may be experiencing mixed hand dominance patterns or cross-dominance, and this is why you are not sure if they are a lefty or a righty. Writing with both hands can have implications that affect handwriting. Read on for information on using both hands to write writing and what you need to know about mixed-handedness.

Here is more information on hand dominance and establishment of a preferred hand in functional activities.

Prone Extension Activities

2019-04-10T09:41:00.001-04:00

So often, we see kiddos who struggle with sensory modulation, core strength and core stability, body awareness, endurance, sensory processing needs. Prone extension activities can help strengthen and address other areas like those mentioned, and more. Below, you'll find various prone extension activities that can be incorporated into occupational therapy treatment sessions and included in home programs.

Prone Extension Activities for Kids

Use the following prone extension activity ideas in games, play, and activities to improve skills like body awareness while providing proprioceptive and vestibular input. Many times, prone extension activities can be incorporated into learning activities too, or used to compliment other therapy goals such as visual memory or other visual perceptual needs.

What is prone extension?

Prone extension is that position you probably know as "superman pose". When a child lies on their stomach and raises their arms and legs off the floor, they are assuming supine flexion. This positioning is an anti-gravity movement that promotes and requires an both sensory systems and motor skills to work in an integrated manner. A prone extension position can occur in other locations beyond the floor. A therapy ball, mat, swing, etc. can all be valuable tools in promoting and eliciting this movement pattern.

When assuming a sustained prone extension position position, there is a fluent and effective use of both the inner AND outer core musculature.

Observation of this position as well as other motor patterns are typically observed during an occupational therapy evaluation in order to assess strength, sensory and motor systems, body awareness, motor planning, bilateral coordination, as well as other areas.

Prone extension activities are a great way to encourage vestibular input as well as other areas mentioned above. Additionally, a prone extension activity can be an easy way to add proprioceptive input to a child seeking heavy pressure. To encourage longer prone extension positioning, try adding additional activities such as games, puzzles, or reaching activities while in the prone position to encourage the hands and arms to reach forward for longer periods of time.

Examples of Prone Extension Activities

Amazon affiliate links are included below.

Adding prone positioning into play can be easy. Try some of the ideas listed below:

1. Use a scooter board. Ask the child to hold onto a rope with strong arms as they are pulled down a hallway. To further this activity, ask the child to pull themselves along a length of space while lying in prone on the scooter board. Add additional resistance by using the scooter board on a carpeted surface.

2. While lying on a therapy ball or bolster, as the child to place bean bags or other objects into a bucket that is placed on a raised surface such as a scooter board. Move the scooter and bucket to various positions to encourage additional reach and extension. Once a bean bag makes it into a bucket, go in for a high five! What an encouraging way to promote that prone extension!

3. While lying on a mat or other surface, ask the child to toss rings onto a target area.

4. Using a chair or ottoman (couch cushions on the floor work well, too), show the chid how to lay on their belly. Some children will want to keep their toes on the floor to steady themselves. Others may want to lift their legs and feet for additional vestibular input. Ask the child to reach out and pop bubbles.

5. For the child that appreciates vestibular input, ask them to lay their belly on an office chair. Using their hands, they can push away from a wall to make the chair move backwards. Other children may like this activity on a scooter board.

6. Ask kids to lie on their stomachs as they use straws to blow cotton balls or craft pom poms into a target. What an exercise in oral motor skills and breathing, too. Deep breaths in can promote the stability needed to sustain a prone extended position. However, breathing out in a lengthy, slow breath to move those cotton balls provides a chance to really engage those inner and outer core muscles.

7. Kids can hit targets (both high and low) using a pool noodle while in a prone position. Reaching forward with those hands to hit targeted areas promotes eye-hand coordination too while really engaging that core!

8. Add a home program with fun exercises that promote posturing, movement challenges, and activities. Use the strategies and tips in The Core Strengthening Handbook is a resource for fun and creative core strengthening activities for kids with awesome exercises, games, and activities designed to give kids the strong core foundation they need to improve handwriting.

The Core Strengthening Exercise Program to help make core strengthening fun and entertaining for kids while promoting carryover in the classroom and when writing.

The Core Strengthening Handbook has everything you need to know outlined into informative strategies and tips that work to meet the needs of kids of all kinds!

The options are endless when it comes to adding vestibular and proprioceptive input through prone extension positioning and activities. Think out of the box to come up with fun and unique ideas that provide heavy work input while addressing all of the other areas kids so often need!

What are your favorite prone extension activities for kids?

Visual Perception Info

2019-03-31T15:06:00.000-04:00

Great! Thanks for grabbing the packet of Visual Perception Worksheets.

Check your email inbox to download your file. Don't see it? Don't fret! Check your spam folder or "other" file such as "promotions" in Gmail. Some users (especially those using an email system hosted by a school system, clinic, health system, etc.) may have this email blocked as a security measure. Send me an email at contact@theottoolbox.com and I will send you the file as an attachment.

How to use your visual perception worksheets:

Use them to work on various visual perceptual skills in a variety of ways. Try using various tools to connect the items on the worksheets, such as string, marker, finger paints, Wikki Stix, etc. The options are endless.

Print them off, slide them into a page protector sheet and use them over and over again with a dry erase marker.

Work on pencil control with some of the pages by having students trace the lines to connect matching items or make matches.

AND...I promised you big news on an upcoming visual processing resource. Here it is!

Very soon, The OT Toolbox is hosting a Visual Processing Lab! Yep, a lab! This is an interactive lab activity that will be email based and delivered right to your inbox. This is a short series of emails (4-5 days) that covers everything you need to know about visual processing, detailed information on various aspects of visual processing, and strategies that work.

You'll also hear more about a huge visual processing bundle that is coming your way.

Get ready to learn all the ins and outs of visual processing, and gain strategies, activities, worksheets, screening items, and so much more. This resource is going to be huge!

Stay tuned!

Come to this page by accident? Want to get in on the visual perception fun?

Get your copy of the free visual perception worksheets HERE.

Spring Handwriting Activities

2019-03-29T00:30:00.000-04:00

This has been a fun week on The OT Toolbox! We've been celebrating all things Spring with activities geared toward developing various underlying skills that kids need. Today we're covering Spring Handwriting Activities and ways to promote legible handwriting with a spring theme. These are handwriting activities that you can use to work on letter formation, spacing between letters and words, size awareness, and line use. All of this reflects back on handwriting legibility! And, when it comes to working on handwriting, we're striving to make practice fun and NOT boring! Read on for some Spring handwriting ideas the kids will love!

First, if you missed the other topics we've covered this week on The OT Toolbox, you'll want to check out our Spring Occupational Therapy Activities page. You'll find Spring fine motor activities, gross motor activities, sensory activities, and visual perceptual activities. All of the ideas are Spring-themed and will keep the kids occupied and working on various skills all Spring long.

And, if you are interested in really addressing the underlying skills that play into development and functional skills, be sure to grab the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet for tons of ideas that cover a variety of areas, and are graded to address other areas or other levels.

Get the Spring Occupational Therapy packet HERE.

Now, onto the handwriting ideas!

Spring Handwriting Activities

When it comes to handwriting, sometimes you just have to make it fun. Practicing letter formation or copying skills can be downright boring. For the child that struggles with these skills, self-confidence can really play into practice. When a child knows they struggle with certain aspects of written work such as letter formation or reversals, it can be hard to get them to want to practice, making home programs or any written work a real struggle.

That's why I wanted to pull together some extra-creative and fun ways to practice written work.

Kids will like this pre-writing lines activity that doubles as a way to work on letter formation and spatial awareness. We created eggs with wikki stix, but you can definitely modify this activity to a slower theme for those working in schools who can't cover anything egg or Easter.

Do you have any Spring cookie cutters? If not, you can usually find them in dollar stores this time of year. Use butterfly and flower cookie cutters to work on handwriting skills like spatial awareness and line awareness needed for legible written work. This is a great writing warm-up activity this time of year.

This time of year is all about growth, seeds, and new development. Pull together a spring theme with seeds and work on pincer grasp, in-hand manipulation, separation of the sides of the hand with letter formation! Kids can manipulate small seeds like grass seed to form letters or work on the letters of their name like we did in this Grass Seed Handwriting Activity. Then, lay the paper on newspaper, sprinkle dirt on top and see if it grows name-shaped grass in a week or so!

Celebrate spring with rainbows! Pull out the colored chalk to work on letter formation with rainbow writing. On a warmer Spring day, go on out to a sidewalk, driveway, or blacktop surface to gain the resistive input of drawing with chalk on the ground. It's a great way to really incorporate the motor planning needed for letter formation!

Finally, a great way to work on handwriting is with lists. With a list of writing practice, kids who struggle with written work tend to not feel so overwhelmed. Writing out a list of words to practice aspects such as letter formation. line use, spacing, and letter size can be more beneficial than copying a few sentences. Granted, there is a time and place for copy work, too. It's an exercise in visual motor skills, visual tracking, visual memory, and so many other skills.

But, when a child needs to write a paragraph AND come up with sentence structure, grammer, capitalization and punctuation, content flow, and comprehension, legible handwriting can be the first to go! We've all seen the child that can write the whole alphabet with complete accuracy, but then writes a journal prompt with letters all over the place!

That's why I put together the list of list writing prompts in the Spring Occupational Therapy Activity Packet. There are two full pages of prompts in card format, so you can cut out the cards and use them over and over again with the whole therapy caseload.

Best yet is that these list prompts encourage motivational writing in that they have many "favorites" or "Best things about..." included. Many kids love to tell others about their favorite things. They can write them out in a list form, AND work on the handwriting skills they need!

When you grab the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet, you'll get these handwriting list prompt sheets AND 24 other pages of spring themed activities including:

Spring Proprioceptive Activities
Spring Vestibular Activities
Spring Visual Processing Activities
Spring Tactile Processing Activities
Spring Olfactory Activities
Spring Auditory Processing Activities
Spring Oral Motor Activities
Spring Fine Motor Activities
Spring Gross Motor Activities
Spring Handwriting Practice Prompts
Spring Themed Brain Breaks
Occupational Therapy Homework Page
Client-Centered Worksheet
5 pages of Visual Perceptual Skill Activities

All of the Spring activities include ideas to promote the various areas of sensory processing with a Spring-theme. There are ways to upgrade and downgrade the activities and each activities includes strategies to incorporate eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination, body scheme, oculomotor control, visual perception, fine and gross motor skills, and more.

It's a really popular product on the site this time of year. I've doubled the size of this packet and added:

Spring Visual Perception Worksheets- Print these off and slide them into a page protector. Use them to work on visual perceptual skills like form discrimination, visual closure, figure ground, and visual processing skills like tracking, scanning, etc. Use manipulative items to work on fine motor skills with these worksheets such as play dough, slime, Wikki Stix, yarn, craft pom poms, or other items.

Spring Fine Motor and Gross Motor Activities- Add these ideas to therapy home programs to work on pencil grasp or core strength. Use these ideas in therapy warm-ups, or to add movement to a child's day.

Spring Themed Brain Breaks- Cut up these cards and use them to add movement and motor skills into the classroom or home. It's a great way to re-charge!

Spring Themed Handwriting Practice Prompts- There are two pages of writing prompts that are ONLY in list form. That means kids don't need to write out sentences while working on letter formation, spacing and size. They can work on all of the handwriting skills they need in a short list that is interest-based, making it motivational for them. And, the list format is a quick way to sneak in handwriting practice!

OT Homework Sheet- Sometimes, it takes extra practice to make skills "stick". When parents help in practicing therapy activities, it can make a difference in carryover. You'll find a done-for-you OT homework sheet to use in weekly homework activities OR for use as a home exercise program!

Client-Centered Worksheet- When our kiddos have a voice in their therapy, carryover and goals can be more meaningful to them. Use this worksheet to come up with Spring activities that meet the needs of a child, while taking into considerations that child's interests and strengths to make activities meaningful.

Sensory Activities and More- All of these extras were added to the already well-rounded Spring packet that includes activities designed around each of the sensory systems. You'll find 13 pages of proprioception activities, vestibular activities, tactile activities, oral motor activities, etc. And, they include ideas to extend the activity to include eye-hand coordination, body scheme, oculomotor control, visual perception, coordination, and motor planning.

This Spring Packet has everything you need for the next three months!

You'll also find several sheets listing tons of Spring activities designed to promote specific areas:

Spring Fine Motor Activities
Spring Gross Motor Activities
Spring Handwriting Practice Prompts
Spring Themed Brain Breaks

Use these activities as warm-ups to your therapy sessions, or add them to the homework page below to create a home program.

Spring Visual Perception Activities

2019-03-28T00:30:00.000-04:00

Have you been following along with the Spring Week activities this week? All week long we're covering various aspects of development and function with fun and creative spring-themed ideas. Today you'll find Spring Visual Perception Activities. These are ways to promote visual perceptual skill development and the visual components that are needed for skills like reading, writing, and functional tasks.

If you missed the other posts this week, you can check them out here: We covered Spring Fine Motor Activities, Spring Gross Motor Activities, and Spring Sensory Activities already. To see all of the posts from this week (and to see what we're coving tomorrow), head over to our Spring Occupational Therapy Activities page.

For more creative strategies and ideas to use in therapy this time of year, you will want to grab our Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet. This is a 26 page packet that's on sale for $7.99 this week. It's loaded with tools and ideas to put into place in therapy sessions starting today. Use the ideas in fine motor or gross motor warm-ups, or add them to a home program. You'll find more visual perceptual activities and worksheets that can be used over and over again. You'll also find handwriting prompts in list form so you can really focus on things like letter formation, spacing, and line use in short writing tasks. You'll love the Spring themed brain break cards that can be used in the classroom or at home.

Grab the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet here.

Spring Visual Perception Activities

When we breakdown the term "visual perception", you will see that there are many sub-areas that are needed for functional skills like reading, handwriting, spelling, coordination, and many functional tasks. Below, you'll find an explanation of visual perceptual skills that impact function, as well as Spring-themed activities to help improve these areas.

Read more about how visual perception impacts handwriting here.

Visual Perceptual Skills

Visual Memory- This visual perceptual skill allows us to store information that we see and use that information for future use. In order to recall visual information, we need visual attention. The selection and perception of visual input requires that information is perceived via the eye's visual fields, and in coordination with oculomotor control, is processed through the visual cortex in the brain. This is how visual processing happens. Visual memory allows for discrimination of details of such things as letter discrimination, sight word identification, etc.

Spring Visual Memory Activities-

Use different colored plastic eggs or other items such as mini erasers. Put them in a series of three and show the student. You can then cover up the objects and then ask the student to replicate that series.

Create a Spring Memory game. Use pictures or stickers of flowers, chicks, bunnies, caterpillars, butterflies, etc. to create a DIY Memory game.

What's Missing Game- Use those mini erasers from a dollar store to create a What's Missing Game. Place a handful of erasers on a tray. Allow the child to memorize the items. Then cover them and remove one or more. The child needs to recall and identify the missing items.

Visual Discrimination- This visual perceptual skill allows us to identify the features of a form/object/letter/number so we can tell the difference between objects. Using visual discrimination, we can identify similarities and differences related to the objects and use that information in conjunction with visual memory.

Spring Visual Discrimination Activities-

Cut a spring picture or card into pieces. Kids can position the pieces to recreate the whole picture. Make this activity easier or more difficult as needed by the child.

Use a packet of spring stickers. Many times there are several sheets that contain the same stickers. Use them to make small cards. Mix up all of the cards and ask the child to find the matches.

Form Constancy- This visual perceptual skill allows for recognition of objects in various environments or with attention to details and orientation. This allows us to recognize letters or numbers no matter their font or size.

Spring Form Constancy Activities-

Write lists of spring words on index cards in different sizes or fonts, or upper case/lower case letters. Hide the cards around the room. The child can look at one card and go off to find the matching font and word.

Using plastic eggs, draw shapes that are similar in form, but are different sizes on each half of the egg. Then, mix up the eggs and as the child to find matches and put them together.

Visual Closure- This visual perceptual skill enables the identification of objects or forms and allows us to identify an object by viewing just a portion and using mental skills to complete the object's form in our mind. Visual closure is a skill necessary for reading and recognizing words by viewing just the beginning letters. Visual closure is related to and requires visual memory and visual attention.

Spring Visual Closure Activities-

Gather several Spring-themed items such as small animal figures, flowers, cookie cutters, plastic eggs, etc. Place them on a tray and cover half of the items. Ask the child to name each item without seeing the whole object.

Make an "I Spy" Frame- Cut a hole or rectangle in an index card. Place it over a spring picture or item. Ask the child to name the object or item by seeing only a portion.

Visual Figure Ground- This skill enables us to locate items in a busy background. Finding hidden items in a hidden pictures puzzle works on this skill by visually scanning and identifying items within a busy scene. In handwriting, visual figure ground is necessary for copying written work from a model and locating the place left off when shifting vision.

Spring Visual-Figure Ground Activities-

Use small items such as mini-erasers of various shapes like bunnies, carrots, and flowers. Spread them out on a table in a pile. Ask the student to sort the like shapes into piles.

Go on an "I Spy" nature walk and look for signs of Spring.

Flip through a catalogue or grocery flier to find specific items on a list. These can be items needed for a Spring event like Mother's Day or Easter, or items needed for a recipe.

Visual Sequential Memory- This visual perceptual skill is the ability to visually take in and then later recall the sequence or order of items in the correct order. This skill is important in reading and writing. Visual sequential memory is important in spelling words correctly and recognizing that words are not spelled correctly.

Spring Visual Sequential Memory Activities-

Make an order of three or more items like three flowers. Ask the student to memorize the order and then to replicate it.

Talk about the steps to complete a task such as planting a flower seed. Write out or draw the steps. Cut the paper so the steps are separated. Mix up the order by spreading the various steps on a table surface. Ask the student to place them back into order.

Looking for more ways to work on visual perceptual skills? In the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet, you'll find visual perceptual skills worksheets that can be printed off and used over and over again. Even better, you can combine fine motor skills by using manipulative items like play dough, string, pipe cleaners, or items like craft pom poms to mark and match items on these sheets. Read more about the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet here.

Spring Visual Perception Worksheets- Print these off and slide them into a page protector. Use them to work on visual perceptual skills like form discrimination, visual closure, figure ground, and visual processing skills like tracking, scanning, etc. Use manipulative items to work on fine motor skills with these worksheets such as play dough, slime, Wikki Stix, yarn, craft pom poms, or other items.

Related Read: Here are more out of the box visual tracking or smooth pursuit activities you may like.

Spring Fine Motor and Gross Motor Activities- Add these ideas to therapy home programs to work on pencil grasp or core strength. Use these ideas in therapy warm-ups, or to add movement to a child's day.

Spring Themed Brain Breaks- Cut up these cards and use them to add movement and motor skills into the classroom or home. It's a great way to re-charge!

Spring Themed Handwriting Practice Prompts- There are two pages of writing prompts that are ONLY in list form. That means kids don't need to write out sentences while working on letter formation, spacing and size. They can work on all of the handwriting skills they need in a short list that is interest-based, making it motivational for them. And, the list format is a quick way to sneak in handwriting practice!

OT Homework Sheet- Sometimes, it takes extra practice to make skills "stick". When parents help in practicing therapy activities, it can make a difference in carryover. You'll find a done-for-you OT homework sheet to use in weekly homework activities OR for use as a home exercise program!

Client-Centered Worksheet- When our kiddos have a voice in their therapy, carryover and goals can be more meaningful to them. Use this worksheet to come up with Spring activities that meet the needs of a child, while taking into considerations that child's interests and strengths to make activities meaningful.

Sensory Activities and More- All of these extras were added to the already well-rounded Spring packet that includes activities designed around each of the sensory systems. You'll find 13 pages of proprioception activities, vestibular activities, tactile activities, oral motor activities, etc. And, they include ideas to extend the activity to include eye-hand coordination, body scheme, oculomotor control, visual perception, coordination, and motor planning.

This Spring Packet has everything you need for the next three months!

Spring Fine Motor Activities
Spring Gross Motor Activities
Spring Handwriting Practice Prompts
Spring Themed Brain Breaks

Use these activities as warm-ups to your therapy sessions, or add them to the homework page below to create a home program.

The Best thing about the Spring Activity Packet:

One of my favorite parts of the Spring Occupational Therapy Packet is the therapist tool section:

Occupational Therapy Homework Page
Client-Centered Worksheet

These two sheets are perfect for the therapist looking to incorporate carryover of skills. Use the homework page to provide specific OT recommended activities to be completed at home. This is great for those sills that parents strive to see success in but need more practice time for achieving certain skill levels.

5 pages of Visual Perceptual Skill Activities

I'm so excited to get this updated packet out to you. If you're looking for ways to make therapy planning easy for the next few months, grab your copy here.

This activity packet is 26 pages long and has everything you need to work on the skills kids are struggling with...with a Spring theme!

Here's the link again to grab that packet.

Spring Sensory Activities

2019-03-27T00:30:00.000-04:00

Welcome to day 3 of Spring Week here on The OT Toolbox. Today, we're talking about all things sensory. When it comes to spring and the change in the weather (hopefully), a few sensory-themed activities can be a tool for working on a variety of skill areas, all through play and sensory exploration.

Today, we're going to discuss using sensory activities to address corresponding needs. Because when it comes to sensory processing, there can be related areas that are impacted as a result of sensory information being poorly processed and resulting in functional skills and development being impacted.

For the child with identified sensory processing difficulties, an effective treatment plan needs to be established, so that the individual can more effectively participate in functional activities. In today's blog post, you'll find some activities and modifications that can be used in the home, classroom, or therapy clinic. These are Spring sensory activities to add to a therapy plan this time of year. Add them to some of the other ideas being shared this week on our website and in our newsletter to create a themed set of interventions that meet the needs of a full caseload!

If you missed the Spring Fine Motor Activities or Spring Gross Motor Activities shared earlier this week, you can catch up on our main Spring Occupational Therapy Activities page.

For a more exhaustive set of strategies, activities, and ideas, be sure to grab the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet that is on sale now for just $7.99. You'll be loaded up on all kinds of tools that will last all season long.

Spring Sensory Activities

Spring Sensory Activities to Improve Discrimination of Vestibular and Proprioceptive Information:

Some kids with poor discrimination of sensory input, especially vestibular and proprioceptive input, may present with poor coordination, posture, balance, attention, and clumsiness, and/or constant fidgeting. These kiddos may benefit from some resistive work activities. Try some of these Spring themed ideas to work on these areas:

Bunny Wall Push-ups- Cut out a pair of bunny paw prints and tape them to the wall. This is a place to hop over to and then perform wall push-ups.

Egg Rubber Bands- Provide heavy work to the hands by wrapping rubber bands around plastic easter eggs. Kids can try to unwrap the rubber bands and then re-wrap the eggs. Use the bands as a hand exercise for the fingers in extension and in finger flexion.

Tug-of-War- Use a rope or sturdy jump rope to pull heavy items from one location to another. Some ideas include a basket or bin full of books or weights. Transport a stuffed animal or plastic Easter eggs in the basket or bin. Sit or lay on a therapy ball to pull the objects out of the bin. Kids can lay in supine on the therapy ball while pulling the rope, too.

Make a Spring Trail Mix- Add in crunchy and chewy items such as dry cranberries, small, chopped carrots, fruit leather, small pretzel pieces, bunny crackers or bunny pretzels.

Make a Spring Crash Zone- Use heavy blankets, couch cushions, and pillows to create a crash pad area. Hide fake flower tops (remove the stems) in the pillows and blankets. Kids can jump and find various flowers. Give them a specific number or specific color to locate in the jumping area.

Leap Frog- Remember the classic leap frog game? It's a great Spring sensory activity! Kids can jump over small items or paper lily pads. In a pinch for time? Just use paper plates for your lily pads.

Spring Sensory Activities to Improve Decreased Discrimination of Tactile Input:

A poor body scheme is common in kids with sensory processing needs. As a result, praxis and fine motor skills can be difficult. Kids may seek out additional input through their hands by touching everything they see. Other kids can't discriminate between light and heavy tactile input. Here are some spring-themed sensory activities to encourage tactile discrimination:

Use craft sheets and draw flowers or "grass" lines with a ballpoint pen. Then, the child can use a felt tip marker to trace the lines in the craft sheet. Allow them to trace with the ball point pen, too. Using the different writing tools provides various feedback in the resistive surface of the craft sheet. This is a great pre-writing lines activity for younger kids. You can see how we used craft sheets to work on pencil control using this sensory technique in a previous activity post.

Use a vibrating pen- Create a flower shape or egg shape with Wikki Stix. Then, use the vibrating pen to draw lines or color in the parts of the flower/egg. Use cookie cutters to encourage bilateral coordination of an assisting hand and the dominant hand. Vibrating pens provide great sensory feedback to the hands.

Use hot glue or regular school glue to create tracing forms. Write spring words like "sun", "bee", "flowers", "grass", etc. or trace Spring coloring pages with the glue. Allow the glue to dry and then place another sheet over the hardened glue. Use crayons to shade over the raised lines. Here is an example of how we used glue to practice sight words with DIY crayon rubbings with an emphasis on tactile sensory input.

Spring Sensory Activities to Address Somatodyspraxia

Somatodyspraxia is a common occurrence in those with sensory processing challenges. Somatodyspraxia is seen via frequent falling, poor posture, balance, tripping, running into or bumping into others or objects, trouble managing small items or manipulating objects as a result of poor fine motor skills, along with poor body scheme and organization. Kids who struggle to process tactile input and vestibular information can be challenged with praxis concerns. Here are some Spring Sensory Activities designed to address somatodyspraxia:

Spring obstacle course- Make an obstacle course that requires various motor movements, motor planning, changes in body position, and organization of body actions. This can easily be accomplished with pillows, couch cushions, chairs, laundry baskets or buckets, and everyday items. Use colored Easter eggs or fake flowers to carry through the obstacle course while challenging praxis.

Bean Bag Toss- Use several small baskets or buckets to work on motor planning with bean bags. Use visual and verbal instructions to place or toss the bean bags into the targets with either one hand or the other (or a foot by placing the bean bag on the toes!). Use simplified instructions to follow instructions. Downgrade the activity by having the child repeat instructions and steps of the direction.

For more assistance with somatodyspraxia, add more cues, simplified instructions, visual cues, and single-step motor tasks.

Spring Sensory Activities to Address Impaired Bilateral Coordination

Bilateral coordination difficulties are common for the child with sensory processing challenges. This looks like uncoordinated movements in hopping, jumping, jumping jacks, kicking a ball, catching a ball, running, climbing, etc. This might carryover to fearfulness when challenged to complete these tasks. You may also see trouble with hand dominance or left/right discrimination. Here are some Spring Sensory Activities that can help:

Play Simon Says with a Spring Theme- Encourage bilateral coordination movements and alternating motions to follow directions. Use a Spring theme by saying "hop like a frog", "crawl like a caterpillar", etc. Use stickers or a stamp to identify the left or right hand and foot for these actions.

Play Hopscotch- Draw a hopscotch board and draw lily pads or spring flowers on the board. Kids can hop onto the squares. Also try jumping with one or both feet onto the target square.

Spring sensory Activities to Address Tactile Defensiveness

Tactile defensiveness can present in many ways, including a refusal to touch certain materials, resistiveness to certain clothing fabrics, food preferences, or avoidance of certain materials or activities. Adding heavy input or slow, calming vestibular input can be helpful in some individuals. Try some of these Spring themed sensory activities:

Deep Pressure- Add weights to the wrists or a weighted lap pad along with heavy work to the hands. Try using a large eraser to erase flowers drawn on construction paper. Ask the child to erase the flower completely. Try using lighter pencil strokes and reducing the amount of erasing needed. This is one way to work on pencil pressure, too.

Flower-Push- Add proprioceptive input to a gross motor activity that provides heavy work through the whole body. Draw a flower or sun on two paper plates. Place them on the floor and ask the child to place their hands on the flower picture while they get into a push-up position. The child can push the flowers across the floor.

Caterpillar Roll- Use a blanket to roll the child up in a log position. The child is now a caterpillar! Add slow and heavy input through up and down the length of the child, using whole hands and slow movements.

Spring Sensory Activities to Address Gravitational Insecurity

Sensory challenges sometimes present with gravitational insecurity. This might look like the child that has trouble being positioned off the ground, such as on a raised surface like a swing, bleachers, on an elevator, or escalator, etc. Calming proprioceptive input can be helpful. Here are some Spring Sensory Activities that can help:

Add Spring stickers to a weighted lap pad or wrist/ankle weights. Make it fun!

Flower Breaths-Try deep breathing activities such as imagining blowing a dandelion fluff across a field. Use deep and slow breaths to imagine moving those flower fluffs away. This can be helpful before participating in an activity that requires motion that can be a challenge for the child, such as when riding in a car.

More Spring Sensory Activities

Looking for more ways to promote sensory activities through movement and play? The Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet has activities for each sensory system and challenges areas like bilateral coordination, oculomotor skills, eye-hand coordination, fine and gross motor skills, and more. You'll also find Spring-themed brain breaks that can be used to add proprioceptive and vestibular activity into daily tasks. The Spring packet has everything you need for activities this season!

It's a 26 packet of activities with strategies to grade up or grade down the ideas to meet the various needs of a variety of kiddos. You'll find ideas to work on visual perceptual skills, sensory processing, handwriting, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, bilateral coordination, motor planning, and so much more! The packet is only $7.99 and can be used over and over again for every student/client!

Grab the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet HERE.

In the Spring OT packet, you'll find:

Spring Proprioceptive Activities

Spring Vestibular Activities

Spring Visual Processing Activities

Spring Tactile Processing Activities

Spring Olfactory Activities

Spring Auditory Processing Activities

Spring Oral Motor Activities

Spring Fine Motor Activities

Spring Gross Motor Activities

Spring Handwriting Practice Prompts

Spring Themed Brain Breaks

Occupational Therapy Homework Page

Client-Centered Worksheet

5 pages of Visual Perceptual Skill Activities

All of the Spring activities include ideas to promote the various areas of sensory processing with a Spring-theme. There are ways to upgrade and downgrade the activities and each activities includes strategies to incorporate eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination, body scheme, oculomotor control, visual perception, fine and gross motor skills, and more.

It's a really popular product on the site this time of year. I've doubled the size of this packet and added:

Spring Visual Perception Worksheets- Print these off and slide them into a page protector. Use them to work on visual perceptual skills like form discrimination, visual closure, figure ground, and visual processing skills like tracking, scanning, etc. Use manipulative items to work on fine motor skills with these worksheets such as play dough, slime, Wikki Stix, yarn, craft pom poms, or other items.

Spring Fine Motor and Gross Motor Activities- Add these ideas to therapy home programs to work on pencil grasp or core strength. Use these ideas in therapy warm-ups, or to add movement to a child's day.

Spring Themed Brain Breaks- Cut up these cards and use them to add movement and motor skills into the classroom or home. It's a great way to re-charge!

Spring Themed Handwriting Practice Prompts- There are two pages of writing prompts that are ONLY in list form. That means kids don't need to write out sentences while working on letter formation, spacing and size. They can work on all of the handwriting skills they need in a short list that is interest-based, making it motivational for them. And, the list format is a quick way to sneak in handwriting practice!

OT Homework Sheet- Sometimes, it takes extra practice to make skills "stick". When parents help in practicing therapy activities, it can make a difference in carryover. You'll find a done-for-you OT homework sheet to use in weekly homework activities OR for use as a home exercise program!

Client-Centered Worksheet- When our kiddos have a voice in their therapy, carryover and goals can be more meaningful to them. Use this worksheet to come up with Spring activities that meet the needs of a child, while taking into considerations that child's interests and strengths to make activities meaningful.

Sensory Activities and More- All of these extras were added to the already well-rounded Spring packet that includes activities designed around each of the sensory systems. You'll find 13 pages of proprioception activities, vestibular activities, tactile activities, oral motor activities, etc. And, they include ideas to extend the activity to include eye-hand coordination, body scheme, oculomotor control, visual perception, coordination, and motor planning.

This Spring Packet has everything you need for the next three months!

Use these activities as warm-ups to your therapy sessions, or add them to the homework page below to create a home program.

Click here to grab your copy of the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet for only $7.99.

Spring Gross Motor Activities

2019-03-26T00:30:00.000-04:00

Did you see yesterday's collection of spring fine motor activities? Today we're back in our Spring Week series to bring you 5 full days of Spring Occupational Therapy Activities. Today, we've got gross motor ideas that have a Spring-theme. You'll find throwing activities, ways to work on the eye-hand coordination needed for catching a ball, bilateral coordination ideas, core strengthening activities, and more. These are the gross motor skill ideas that you can use in so many ways to address the skills kids need to succeed at home, at school, and in the community! Get the ideas below!

First, just in case you missed our Spring Fine Motor Activities collection, you can check them out here. Be sure to stop back all week, because we're loading you up on different ways to address developmental skill areas with a Spring-theme. Here is the main page of Spring Occupational Therapy Activities so you can find all the goodies this week. You'll want to bookmark or pin that page so you can refer back to it all season long!

Remember, if you are looking for fun ideas to incorporate into therapy sessions, at home, or in the classroom, our Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet is on sale right now. It's 26 pages of spring ideas for addressing sensory processing, gross and fine motor skills, visual motor skills, visual perceptual skills, handwriting, and more. The packet will last you all season long and can be used over and over again.

Grab the Spring Activities Packet here.

Spring Gross Motor Activities

Spring week continues on The OT Toolbox and today is all about those Gross Motor Skills. Shoulder and wrist stability are such a necessary part of fine motor control and precision. You've probably seen it before; a kiddo that writes or colors with their arm "floating" up off the table surface. You probably know a child that writes with their whole arm as opposed to moving those fingers. You might recall a child manipulating small items like beads with their elbows smashed into their sides in order for them to have support and control...It's all shoulder stability that is lacking!

We're also talking about core stability, postural control, and balance. You might know a student that slouches at their desk. What suffers? Handwriting legibility, reading comprehension, and the ability to copy materials without missing items.

You may have seen a kiddo that is fearful on uneven surfaces like when maneuvering on bleachers, or struggles with active games in gym class. What may be the culprit to these coordination skills? It just might be postural control, core strength, and stability.

The gross motor activities below provide opportunities to improve bilateral coordination, core strength as part of improving postural stability, balance, coordination, shoulder stability, and shoulder girdle strengthening. The activities follow a Spring-theme to use this time of year.

These general activities combine movement combinations and motor planning that can be used as a fun brain break in the classroom, or a party game idea:

Create a Bunny Hop Gross Motor Game much like our Dinosaur Gross Motor Game! Just make the activities actions like Hop like a bunny, jump like a bunny, stomp your bunny feet, etc. You can add other spring animals too, like a lamb, baby chicks, or robins.

Make a DIY Dance Stick using ribbons, crepe paper, and string. Then, practice forming letters or writing spelling words with the dance stick. It can be decorated like a May Pole, too. Incorporate bilateral coordination and eye-hand coordination to wrap the stick with ribbon all the way up and around a dowel rod.

Bean Bag Activity- We made ice cream cones, but carrots would be super easy, too...or just pretend the bean bags are carrots :) Here are some bean bag games to use when working on midline crossing, core strength, motor planning, and other gross motor areas.

Build shoulder and wrist stability

Shoulder stability is an area that so many kids can struggle with! Writing with their arm "floating" up off the table surface, using the whole arm to manipulate and move a pencil, and other small motor actions. Sometimes, kids that do activities and tasks quickly are compensating for weakness in the shoulder girdle.

Use Wikki Stix to build Easter Eggs by sticking them to a wall. Position the child at a seated position facing the wall so shoulder flexion occurs at eye height. This is a great way to work on shoulder and wrist stability and mobility.

Use Spring cookie cutters and small pieces of chalk on a chalkboard or easel. This activity is great for drawing and writing at shoulder height and uses both hands at midline. Working at the vertical surface promote core strength as well as shoulder stability and wrist extension. Bunnies, Easter eggs. hearts, and colorful circles or rainbows are fun this time of year.

Try Spring Yoga- There are some Yoga positions with a Spring theme described and listed in the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet. Add fun animal names and positions to basic yoga positions.

Use a scooter board in prone. Push and pull the scooter board across the floor to transport Spring items into a basket. The dollar store is a good place to find small items. Better yet, use bunny tongs or other tools to transport the items.

Roll a small ball or a therapy ball up and down a wall. Use painters tape to make a ball maze or a strait line like the stem of a Spring flower. "Walk" the ball up the wall to shoulder height and then back down again. Get the ball to the top of the step to create the flower!

Spring Animal Walks- Do the bunny hop, frog jump, and lamb crawl from one side of the room to the other. Think: wheelbarrow walks, crab walks, donkey kicks, and bear walks with a Spring theme!

Color or play on the ground- Use Easter grass to create a sensory space on the floor. Use a large, low tray such as a jelly roll pan to create a sensory bin. Kids can use tongs to find hidden items such as mini-erasers.

Spring Posture and Balance Activities

Posture and trunk stability is essential for positioning in the classroom and in functional tasks in general. Postural control is needed to enable the student to sit upright at their desk, allowing for better handwriting, reading, and copying skills. Kids who struggle with postural control and balance will be uncoordinated in fine motor tasks, activities requiring sustained positioning, have trouble with motor planning, and may be fearful of tasks that require mobility or uneven positioning such as manueving on bleachers or during active play.

Try some of the Spring themed gross motor activities below to improve postural control and balance:

Spring Caterpillar Pose- Assume the "superman pose" on the floor, but call it a caterpillar pose! You can be a caterpillar in the SPringtime, gaining strength to start crawling and munching on leaves. Relax rest but then return to the extended arms, legs, and head positioning as you wake up again!

Balloon Pass- Lie on your back and pull the hips and knees into flexion, toward the belly. Try to hold a ball or balloon between your feet. Then, pass the ball to a friend lying opposite on the floor. Pass the ball into a hoop or large basket.

Egg Pass- Sit on a partially inflated beach ball and try to balance a plastic egg on a spoon. Try to pass the egg to a friend and then drop it into a basket.

You'll also be interested in our newly updated Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet. It's a 26 packet of activities with strategies to grade up or grade down the ideas to meet the various needs of a variety of kiddos. You'll find ideas to work on visual perceptual skills, sensory processing, handwriting, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, bilateral coordination, motor planning, and so much more! The packet is only $7.99 and can be used over and over again for every student/client!

Grab the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet HERE.

In the Spring OT packet, you'll find:

Spring Proprioceptive Activities

Spring Vestibular Activities

Spring Visual Processing Activities

Spring Tactile Processing Activities

Spring Olfactory Activities

Spring Auditory Processing Activities

Spring Oral Motor Activities

Spring Fine Motor Activities

Spring Gross Motor Activities

Spring Handwriting Practice Prompts

Spring Themed Brain Breaks

Occupational Therapy Homework Page

Client-Centered Worksheet

5 pages of Visual Perceptual Skill Activities

All of the Spring activities include ideas to promote the various areas of sensory processing with a Spring-theme. There are ways to upgrade and downgrade the activities and each activities includes strategies to incorporate eye-hand coordination, bilateral coordination, body scheme, oculomotor control, visual perception, fine and gross motor skills, and more.

It's a really popular product on the site this time of year. I've doubled the size of this packet and added:

Spring Visual Perception Worksheets- Print these off and slide them into a page protector. Use them to work on visual perceptual skills like form discrimination, visual closure, figure ground, and visual processing skills like tracking, scanning, etc. Use manipulative items to work on fine motor skills with these worksheets such as play dough, slime, Wikki Stix, yarn, craft pom poms, or other items.

Spring Fine Motor and Gross Motor Activities- Add these ideas to therapy home programs to work on pencil grasp or core strength. Use these ideas in therapy warm-ups, or to add movement to a child's day.

Spring Themed Brain Breaks- Cut up these cards and use them to add movement and motor skills into the classroom or home. It's a great way to re-charge!

Spring Themed Handwriting Practice Prompts- There are two pages of writing prompts that are ONLY in list form. That means kids don't need to write out sentences while working on letter formation, spacing and size. They can work on all of the handwriting skills they need in a short list that is interest-based, making it motivational for them. And, the list format is a quick way to sneak in handwriting practice!

OT Homework Sheet- Sometimes, it takes extra practice to make skills "stick". When parents help in practicing therapy activities, it can make a difference in carryover. You'll find a done-for-you OT homework sheet to use in weekly homework activities OR for use as a home exercise program!

Client-Centered Worksheet- When our kiddos have a voice in their therapy, carryover and goals can be more meaningful to them. Use this worksheet to come up with Spring activities that meet the needs of a child, while taking into considerations that child's interests and strengths to make activities meaningful.

Sensory Activities and More- All of these extras were added to the already well-rounded Spring packet that includes activities designed around each of the sensory systems. You'll find 13 pages of proprioception activities, vestibular activities, tactile activities, oral motor activities, etc. And, they include ideas to extend the activity to include eye-hand coordination, body scheme, oculomotor control, visual perception, coordination, and motor planning.

This Spring Packet has everything you need for the next three months!

Use these activities as warm-ups to your therapy sessions, or add them to the homework page below to create a home program.

Click here to grab your copy of the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet for only $7.99.

Note: These activities and suggestions are provided in an educational manner. Completion or participation in the activities listed here do not indicate therapy intervention nor should be used in place of therapy. Always consult an evaluating occupational therapist or physician regarding exercise and activity programs. In the case of physical delays or diagnoses, always consult a medical professional before participating in activities or exercises.

Spring Fine Motor Activities

2019-03-25T00:30:00.000-04:00

Looking for Spring Fine Motor Activities to do with the kids this time of year? This is the space to find creative activities and ideas to promote fine motor strength, dexterity, open thumb web space, arch development, and the precision grasp needed for functional tasks like pencil grasp, endurance in handwriting, scissor use, clothing fastener use, the ability to open containers, type with finger isolation, and every other fine motor task you can imagine! The best thing about the Spring activities listed here are the use of everyday items, making therapy planning a breeze. Use some of these ideas in your Spring occupational therapy plans in the clinic or when coming up with a home program for your pediatric clients. It's also a great way to sneak in fine motor work this time of year in a fun way!

Spring Fine Motor Activities

These ideas are part of our Spring Week here on The OT Toolbox. Be sure to stop back each day this week to find more Spring occupational therapy activities and ideas to use all season long

Today is all about Spring Fine Motor Activities. Check the out below! You'll also be interested in our newly updated Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet. It's a 26 packet of activities with strategies to grade up or grade down the ideas to meet the various needs of a variety of kiddos. You'll find ideas to work on visual perceptual skills, sensory processing, handwriting, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, bilateral coordination, motor planning, and so much more! The packet is only $7.99 and can be used over and over again for every student/client!

Grab the Spring Occupational Therapy Activities Packet HERE.

Spring Occupational Therapy Activities

Try some of these ideas to promote fine motor skills this Spring:

Use this cherry blossom activity to promote hand strength, precision, opening of the thumb web space, thumb stability, arch development and intrinsic muscle strength. Kids can make the cherry blossom activity, but also work on visual motor skills and patterns. Read more about this spring activity and how it promotes hand strength in so many ways.

Love cherry blossoms and want to go with a cherry blossom theme while boosting those fine motor skills? Try this Cherry Blossom Tree Craft and strengthen pinch, grip, arch development, separation of the sides of the hand, thumb stability, bilateral coordination, and other skills.

Work on pincer grasp, hand strength, dexterity, and mobility with this robin craft. Kids will love feeding worms to the robins that they make from egg cartons. Best of all, it uses recycled materials and can be used over and over again!

Looking for tons of Spring craft ideas to last the whole season long? You'll find loads of ideas from around the web!

Make flowers and use them to boost fine motor skills too with this fine motor flower craft!

This flower spring craft is a great (easy) craft idea to promote scissor skills. I love that it helps kids to work on precision when cutting with scissors and graded snips to stop at a specific point when cutting. This is a hard skill to master! Kids will love to see the flowers they create when cutting up to a point and then stopping the scissors to create the flower!

Another Spring fine motor activity that promotes scissor use is this butterfly craft. Kids can learn to cut curved lines and improve precision by cutting with a thinner material using cupcake liners to help with precision and accuracy. What a fun spring craft for kids!

Take a different spin on Spring activities and celebrate Earth Day by making crafts and activities using recycled materials. There's something for everyone here...all while promoting fine motor skills!

One easy way to work on hand strength is to create a Spring Play Dough Press Activity. Simply pull out the play dough and some Spring items like cookie cutters, flowers, feathers, small animal toys, and other Spring-themed items. Create a sensory table experience and press those items right into the play dough. Kids can hide items and find them again or match up the impressions to the toys. It's a great way to strengthen the intrinsics, promote endurance in the hands, and to do it with a Spring theme!

This Spring Sensory Seek and Find Activity is an old one on the website, but it's still a great way to promote fine motor skills like separation of the sides of the hand and finger isolation! Not to mention, moving the materials in the sensory bag around promotes hand strength, along with visual motor skills and visual perception. All you need is a plastic bag, clear hair gel, some food coloring, and Spring stickers!

Need some quick ideas to celebrate Easter? These bunny activities should spark some ideas!

One of our favorite ways to work on fine motor skills this time of year is with our good, old bunny tongs. This Spring fine motor activity promotes the skills needed for scissor use, as well as hand strength, eye-hand coordination, and more. You should be able to find the bunny tongs at the dollar store this time of year!

Work on scissor skills with this Recycled Artwork Spring Flower craft. It's a great way to use up that artwork that you don't know what to do with, too!

The OT Toolbox

Sensory Processing Spanish Resource

Celebrate "Sensory"

Therapy Planner for the Upcoming School Year

Free Therapy Planner

Therapy Planning Calendar

Get the Therapy Planning Calendar

Hand Dominance Activities 3 Simple Tips

Zones of Regulation Activities

Zones of Regulation Activities

What is self-regulation?

Self-regulation Curriculums

So, what is the Zones of Regulation do you ask?

What do the Colors in the Zones of Regulation Program Mean?

Fun Zones of Regulation Activities

How can you use zones of regulation activities to improve self-regulation?

1. Zones Pocket Play for Emotions and Coping Strategies

2. Zone Check-In Tube

3. Zone Check-In Frame

4. Zone Grab Bag Game

Zones of Regulation Activities at home and at school

Super Simple Visual Tracking Tool

Sensory Meltdown or Tantrum: Which one is it?

Behaviors of Sensory Meltdowns and Tantrums Look Similar

Tantrums

Sensory Meltdowns

Clues a Behavior is a Sensory Meltdown

What can Trigger a Sensory Meltdown?

Some clues that it might be a meltdown include:

Tools for Sensory Meltdowns

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Potty Training Incentive (That Kids will LOVE)

Potty Training Incentive

Toileting Reward Program That Kids will Love

Focusing on the Positive When Potty Training

Potty Training Seats for Special Needs

Potty Training Seats are Not One-Size Fits All!

Physical Limitations and Special Needs Toilet Training

Potty Training Seats for Physical Needs

For More information on Potty Training

What is Visual Attention?

Activities to improve smooth visual pursuits

Activities to improve smooth visual pursuits

What are visual pursuits?

Activities to improve visual pursuits

More visual processing activities

More visual tracking activities you will like:

Free Visual Processing Lab

What is Visual Scanning

Free Visual Perception Packet

Development of Eye-Hand Coordination

Ambidexterity or Mixed Dominance

Writing with Both Hands-What you Need to Know

Prone Extension Activities

Prone Extension Activities for Kids

What is prone extension?

Examples of Prone Extension Activities

Visual Perception Info

How to use your visual perception worksheets:

AND...I promised you big news on an upcoming visual processing resource. Here it is!

Spring Handwriting Activities

Spring Handwriting Activities

Spring Visual Perception Activities

Spring Visual Perception Activities

Visual Perceptual Skills

Spring Sensory Activities

Spring Sensory Activities

Spring Sensory Activities to Improve Discrimination of Vestibular and Proprioceptive Information:

Spring Sensory Activities to Improve Decreased Discrimination of Tactile Input:

Spring Sensory Activities to Address Somatodyspraxia

Spring Sensory Activities to Address Impaired Bilateral Coordination

Spring sensory Activities to Address Tactile Defensiveness

Spring Sensory Activities to Address Gravitational Insecurity

More Spring Sensory Activities

Spring Gross Motor Activities

Spring Gross Motor Activities

Build shoulder and wrist stability

Spring Posture and Balance Activities

Spring Fine Motor Activities

Spring Fine Motor Activities